“Pretty Little Liars” Finale Recap: “The DArkest Knight”

Truth rating: 10

By Shari Weiss | 9:01 pm, August 30, 2016

(Freeform)

On Tuesday’s summer finale of “Pretty Little Liars,” there was at least one major death and life-altering news for the Liars. Here are the most important things to know about “The DArkest Knight,” the 10th episode of season 7.

The midseason finale began with Aria, Spencer, Emily, Allison, Mona and Caleb trying to reach Hanna. Spencer called 911 to report her abduction, when at the same time, Hanna had a barely-conscious Noel tied up in a hotel room. “Admit you’re A.D.,” she yelled, and when he didn’t answer, she sliced his thigh. She then took some of the blood to a DNA lab.

Marco led the police investigation at Spencer’s house on what was Toby’s last day of work, and the detective was determined to find both Hanna and Noel. Ali was upset that Paige was waiting at Spencer’s with them, questioning her intentions with Emily. Meanwhile, at the Radley, Mona and Caleb eavesdropped on Jenna, who didn’t know where Noel disappeared to. Mona left when Hanna called her, but didn’t tell Caleb where she was going. Mona found the USB in Noel’s shoe and wanted to go the police, but Hanna refused until she could prove he was A.D.

Hanna eventually turned up at Spencer’s, apologizing for going off the grid, but not revealing what she was really up to. At the loft afterward, Caleb didn’t believe her story, and Hanna got angry when he wouldn’t leave her alone. He ranted about her bad habits, saying, “You don’t admit we’re supposed to spend the rest of our lives together.” That led her to tear up… and Haleb to finally kiss… and have sex.

That night, Ali announced to Emily that she’s pregnant, with the baby’s father obviously being Elliott/Archer. As Emily comforted her, Ali went in for a kiss, promising that it wasn’t because she’s “vulnerable,” and then they made out. Mona told Jenna to stop looking for Noel and get out of town, or risk going to jail, too, and Aria anxiously awaited Ezra’s return home and panicked when he didn’t arrive to the apartment as scheduled. A news broadcast informed her that Nicole had been found alive, and the footage showed her happily reuniting with him.

The next day, Spencer went to say goodbye to Toby, insisting she was happy for him and he “deserved” love more than anyone else. She asked to kiss him “one last time,” and it clearly moved them both. Meanwhile, Paige accused Emily of being Ali’s “puppet,” though she didn’t know about the hookup or pregnancy. Hanna was devastated when she found out Noel’s DNA didn’t match Mary Drake’s, leading her to confess to the Liars what she really had been up to.

They managed to ditch the cops protecting them and went to the hotel room, only to find Noel gone, along with Hanna’s video camera. A text gave them an address and a 10 p.m. meeting time, saying they would swap the USB for the camera. Meanwhile, Caleb and Mona went to the Radley to further stalk Jenna, only to see Sydney there instead. That night, as Toby readied to leave, he wrestled with whether to text Spencer.

She and the Liars arrived at the abandoned house for the meeting, a building that was a former school for the blind. Jenna, over a loudspeaker, told them to drop the USB, and the girls went upstairs to follow the sound of Hanna’s voice on the camera footage. They found the camcorder, and then wandered into a room filled with creepy objects. Before they could leave, Noel confronted Emily and Hanna, telling them they “know too much.”

At the same time, a gun-toting Jenna cut the power so Ali would “see” like she does. Noel fought with Hanna and Spencer, before falling on an axe and getting decapitated. Jenna started firing the gun, and Spencer was shot. But before she could fire a fatal blow, Jenna was taken down by Mary Drake.

Someone dragged Jenna’s body away as Mary Drake comforted Spencer, saying, “Please don’t leave me. I would never hurt you. I’m your mother,” as Spencer closed her eyes. The show then cut to an ambulance arriving at a car accident, where Toby and Yvonne *appeared* to be dead. At the end of the episode, Jenna awoke in the back of a van, and (this was confusing…) either someone was actually impersonating her in the house, or the person who rescued her was in disguise, as that person ripped off a mask and Jenna concluded they were A.D., but their identity wasn’t revealed.

The show ended with a figurine of Spencer being put into a tiny coffin-like box. Now the show won’t return until April 2017 for the final 10 episodes of the series. Noel is for sure dead. But is Yvonne? Toby? Spencer?!